Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for accosting a utility worker and resident in the northwest part of the city early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident in the 700-block of NW Midland Avenue on Wednesday shortly after 10 a.m.. Police said the 76-year-old woman asked a utility worker to call 9-1-1 because she was "having a medical emergency and was going to die." The worker rolled up his window, which prompted the woman to break nearby planter pots and throw dirt and rocks at him and the utility truck. The female subject then attempted to have the resident call 9-1-1 for her. She tried to enter the residence, but a woman closed the door in her face. This prompted the suspect to go into the front yard and break a large terra cotta vase valued at about $70. That's when officers arrived on scene and placed her into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Mischief and Disorderly Conduct, both in the 2nd-Degree. She was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police was investigating a hit-and-run crash that occurred this week on Redwood Highway in the Illinois Valley. According to OSP, troopers responded to a reported hit-and-run near milepost 31 of US Highway 199 south of Cave Junction around midday Tuesday. Troopers said the wreck caused damage to Oregon Department of Transportation and Wild Cat Park's signs and posts. Due to witness statements and debris left at the scene of the incident, the suspect vehicle was identified as a white Nissan SUV. No suspect had been identified as of Wednesday. Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to dial *OSP.

 

The Oregon State Police provided few details about two traffic stops that occurred in Josephine County last night. According to OSP, the first incident happened on Wednesday at 9:25 p.m. when troopers pulled over a motorist for speeding near milepost 6 of Redwood Highway. Troopers said the unidentified motorist did not have an operator's license or any insurance on their vehicle. They were cited for the violations and their car was towed. The second incident took place on Wednesday at 11:53 p.m. when troopers pulled over a motorist for a traffic violation in an unspecified location. Troopers said the unidentified driver appeared to be impaired and then performed poorly in field sobriety tests. The driver was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where they provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal driving limit. They were charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and their vehicle was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man last night for setting up a campsite on a church property from which he had already been trespassed. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to the trespassing call at Parkway Christian Center on NE Beacon Drive on Wednesday at 7:49 p.m.. Police said a church employee called 9-1-1 to report a male subject in a dirty white shirt had pitched a tent on the Fairview Avenue side of the complex and refused to leave the premises. The caller wanted the man to remove his tent, belongings and silver scooter from the church property. Officers arrived on scene and determined that the 39-year-old man had been kicked off the property the day before and told not to come back. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass and was being held without bail. His belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department was busy patrolling city parks on Wednesday. At Kesterson Park, officers arrested a man wanted on a Douglas County warrant for failing to appear in court for Larceny and Petty Theft. He was cited and then released. Another man was cited for Scattering Rubbish. A total of 11 campsites were posted and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network. At Riverside Park, one woman was cited for Inoperable Vehicle while another woman was cited for Misuse of Open Space and issued a 30-day exclusion. A tent and items belonging to a third woman were removed from the park and disposed of when numerous drug paraphernalia items were observed in plain view. A total of 13 campsites were posted and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. At Baker Park, two men nodding off on a bench were cited for Possession of Fentanyl and trespassed for 30 days. A man and woman were cited for Scattering Rubbish and Illegal Camping after they failed to remove their previously posted campsite. They were also trespassed for 30 days. Another man was cited for Misuse of Open Space and Scattering Rubbish. He was also trespassed. A total of 15 campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. At Fruitdale Park, a woman was cited for Possession of Fentanyl and she was issued a 30-day exclusion. Another woman was warned for Buffer Zone Violation, Dog Off Leash and No Dog License. She agreed to leave the park until her dog is properly licensed. Three campsites were posted and an e-mail was sent to UCAN.

 

Two women were killed this week when their vehicle slammed into a tree off an Illinois Valley roadway near Kerby. In Wednesday afternoon press release, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office reported deputies and emergency personnel were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash in the 4600-block of Reeves Creek Road on Tuesday at 3:08 p.m.. Prior to law enforcement arrival, the driver -- 20-year-old Paige Ellen Collyer -- and the passenger -- 34-year-old Shannon Marie Hewitt -- were pronounced dead by medical personnel. Next of kin have been notified. Deputies said evidence at the scene indicated the 1997 Lexus sedan was traveling north on Reeves Creek at high rate of speed when it failed to negotiate a curve and left the roadway, striking a tree. The Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response, Oregon State Police and Jerry's Towing assisted at the scene of the double-fatal crash.

 

Two people were injured when their vehicle crashed off Redwood Highway near the Oregon-California border yesterday. On Wednesday at about 2:25 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) were dispatched to the single-vehicle accident on US Highway 199 at Green Gate Road near the Agricultural Inspection Station. IVFD officials said CHP and CalTrans were the first to arrive on scene and find the vehicle off the highway with front-end damage. Two people were transported by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation. An investigation into the cause of the crash was being conducted by CHP.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for harassing his ex-girlfriend at a south-city apartment complex early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 39-year-old male subject for the incident at Harbeck Village Apartments on Harbeck Road on Wednesday at 12:47 a.m.. Police said the man showed up at the apartment of his ex-girlfriend while heavily intoxicated and an argument followed, with the man pushing the woman once on the shoulder and attempting to punch her. The victim told officers she was able to block the punch due to her ex-boyfriend's high level of inebriation. Responding officers searched the area and found the man walking back to his mother's residence on SE Ramsey Avenue near Three Rivers Medical Center. A records check showed he had been trespassed from the same apartment last December. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Physical Harassment and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for discarding items -- including a dead cat -- into her neighbor's yard at a southeast-city apartment complex this week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a complaint at the complex in the 500-block of SE L Street on Tuesday night. Police said were alerted to a 9-1-1 call from a woman who claimed her neighbor had been throwing trash into their yard and it had escalated with the 52-year-old female subject throwing a dead cat over the fence. Officers said an investigation revealed that the woman intentionally overturned a cat bed with a dead cat and defrosted meat over the fence. They reviewed video of the incident and then placed her into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Offensive Littering. She was being held without bail.